A Beautiful Pairing with a Complicated Romance

Adapted from a novel of the same name, this mini-series is a spin-off of the famous GL “Gap The Series”. This an age-gap GL between Khun Nueng (Faye Peraya) and Anueng (Yoko Apasra), though I want to make it clear that the characters are at the right age to date, so the age difference doesn’t seem inappropriate. The series is a fresh breath of air in between lots of cringy and plain situations. The chemistry between the leads is cute and Yoko’s acting has an innocence to it that will make you adore her with all your heart. Faye as Khun Neung is brilliant, her acting is commendable, her expression doesn’t seem forced or awkward and is very detailed. She has put a lot of effort into her role and while watching the series you won’t find awkward pauses, forced acting, or expressions. Faye has grasped the very essence of Khun Neung’s character, who can mask her feelings.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/07/blank-series-review-ep-1-to-6/

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Totally Unimpressive

Admittedly, this series is perfectly named. It did seem to continue to go on and on endlessly. It was like being adrift in a rudderless boat floating in an ocean of tropes, cliches, banalities, stereotypes, and platitudes. Sooner or later, you would bump into one of them on your way to wherever it was you were supposed to be going. Unfortunately, this series went nowhere because it had nowhere to go to.

Honestly, you have seen this story hundreds of times if you are an avid BL watcher. If not, you will no doubt run across its plot again because it is standard. It is another high school love story between two best friends. Ji (Fluke Pongspat) and Achi (Junior Kajbhunbitt). Both are handsome with each focused on wanting to be successful in different ways. Ji is obviously in love with Achi as he is a bit more overt about it. Achi senses it. Although he likes it, Achi is understandably terrified of reciprocating. This is all such a confusing time for teenage boys.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/21/to-be-continued-series-review-ep-1-to-8/

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A Love Story Full of Yearning & Longing

Sometimes beauty is born out of tragedy, out of a broken place that doesn’t seem capable of growing something beautiful.

And yet, even roses have thorns.

The Taiwanese BL Unknown, adapted from the web novel Da Ge by Priest, is a stunning example of a relationship built from a broken place. Starring Chris Chiu (Wei Qian) and Kurt Huang (Wei Zhiyuan), it delves deeply into a story about two boys who don’t belong anywhere but whose hearts seek a home and family in each other’s brokenness.

And it succeeds.

From the moment a young Yuan follows Qian from the darkness surrounding him in the streets to the warmth of Qian’s home, Unknown becomes a story about finding light in a period of darkness. It’s a concept that threads well throughout the series; from youth to adulthood, strangers to brothers to lovers, light and darkness balance each other, intertwine, and then become one. It’s a transformative experience that grips the soul and doesn’t let go.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/23/unknown-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

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Quite a Disappointment

Love is an unpredictable journey that leaves a lot up to chance and complicated individual human emotions. We don’t choose who we fall in love with. Sometimes that leads to heartbreak. Other times, it leads to joy and healing.

Adapted from the manga Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka by Chiba Ryoko, the new Japanese BL Although I Love You, and You? tells the story of two men who find healing and new beginnings inside a love that takes them both by surprise. It follows Matsumoto Sakae (Kan Hideyoshi), a straightforward restaurant owner in Osaka, and Soga Hisashi (Nishiyama Jun), a shy, reserved office worker who instantly connect at Sakae’s restaurant before falling into a friendship that blooms into love.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/19/although-i-love-you-and-you-series-review-ep-3-to-10/

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Could Have Been Better

Simple, Sweet but Ordinary

Gu Jing (Stan Huang) is a good chef who owns a creative and retro restaurant. He opens his restaurant anytime he wants. Gu Jing finds that there is a young man who always gets the quietest seat, and that is Liu Li (Chen Xuan Yu). Liu Li is a gay-themed novelist who rents a room upstairs from Gu Jing’s restaurant. Gu Jing starts to send Liu a bowl of spicy beef noodles. Slowly, Gu Jing becomes the person that Liu Li confides in, the person who keeps him company during his hard times. Gradually, Liu Li realizes that his fantasies may be different from reality.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/09/vip-only-series-review-ep-3-to-10/

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A Scintillating Revenge Saga

All’s fair in love and war; hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. These idioms perfectly capture the essence of the new Japanese GL Chaser Game W: Power Harassment Joshi wa Watashi no Moto Kano.

The drama’s initial episodes, led by Sugai Yuuka and Nakamura Yurika, set the stage for a captivating power play intertwined with undeniable love as it explores the intricate dynamics of a love-hate relationship between Harumoto Itsuki and her ex-girlfriend, Hayashi Fuyu. All set against the backdrop of a corporate gaming world where the Chinese company Fuyu works for and the Japanese company Itsuki is employed by are prepared to collaborate.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/01/25/chaser-game-w-power-harassment-joshi-wa-watashi-no-moto-kano-first-impressions-ep-1-to-3/

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An Entertaining Watch Indeed

At first glance, “We Are” seems like a cliché bubblegum show without much substance, however, as you delve deeper into the show, without any cynicism it is pure swoon worthy romance and presents a genre I quite like which is equivalent to the early 2000s chick flicks. Although it doesn’t have much to say or has no edge, it gives us heartwarming love stories, actual courtship and although there are elements of slow burn romance in some of the couples, the show balances it out by giving us different solid story lines to follow that are all wholesome and you can’t help but root for each single couple. Comfort shows with low stakes, that are written to make the audience feel good are severely underrated and its easy to write them off as bubblegum shows that lose flavor quickly, however, you cannot deny that when they are sweet, they are indeed sweet.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/01/we-are-series-first-impressions-ep-1-to-4/

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An Impossible Romance Between A Robot & A Historian

“Anti Reset” is the story of Chu Yi Ping (Wu Ping Chen), is an aloof and unsociable history professor who gets into an accident at his college and injures his arm. To take care of him, his uncle, the head of a scientific company which is secretly experimenting with artificially intelligent human-like robots, sends him their latest model, Ever 9 (Huang Li Feng). The two spend time together as Ever 9 helps nurse Yi Ping back to health, and feelings develop.

Despite the scientific premise, if you go into “Anti Reset” expecting it to answer deep philosophical questions about the power dynamics of a romance between a human and an artificially intelligent robot who is designed to serve him, whether artificial intelligence can truly gain the sentience to become fully human, what being ‘human’ even means, you might be disappointed. The show brushes off the scientific explanations as being top secret, and presents Ever 9 as already close to completely sentient. He feels both positive and negative emotions, including jealousy of a robot vacuum and fear of being replaced by another model. At this point, the show would have been virtually the same had Yi Ping’s uncle sent him a human caretaker instead of an AI.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/02/16/anti-reset-first-impressions-ep-1-to-3/

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An Engaging Storytelling with Stellar Casting

Sight, scent, taste, touch, and sound—five senses that imprint themselves in our memories and hearts. And while all of them have an impact, sound is a stark reminder of how swiftly something can fade while leaving an indelible mark.

Nowhere is this more evident than in music. Music speaks to the soul when words falter, conveying emotions that defy easy expression. Its melodic language channels joy, love, anger, fear, and pain, forging connections that transcend barriers.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/28/jazz-for-two-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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A Beautiful Romance Between Two Earnest Co-Stars

Insecurity and a strong desire to succeed in a passion can create barriers between yourself and the world, making it difficult to see the people cheering you on.


In the Japanese BL At 25:00 in Akasaka, adapted from Natsuno Hiroko’s manga series 25 Ji, Akasaka de, the lines between art and life begin to blur for insecure but passionate Shirasaki Yuki (Niihara Taisuke), a struggling stage actor who lands a surprising role in a gay drama opposite a famous actor he knew in his university days, Hayama Asami (Komagine Kiita).

Thus begins a journey of personal insecurity and unrequited love that explodes into a tense and almost bittersweet feeling on screen.

As the cameras roll, Shirasaki seeks authenticity in his role by exploring local gay haunts, only to find Hayama there, leading to a night that ends in a kiss. This encounter leaves him wrestling with his feelings, both on and off screen, as he confronts how he feels about himself while exploring how he could feel about Asami.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/04/at-2500-in-akasaka-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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A High School Romance with Oodles of Chemistry

Crushes and being the most popular boy in school isn’t the only thing on a boy’s mind, this is proven true by the new GMMTV BL series “My Boo the Series”. Though by the end of the first episode, it’s not too far off for main character Moo played by Keen Suvijak. The boy on the cusp of graduating from high school if he could just focus on school. But much to his mother’s chagrin he wants to be an idol through dancing. A desire that leads the headstrong boy to sent to the country for a punishment that would allow him to graduate. The spoiled boy that Moo is would be overwhelmed if not for the near constant support of an older boy named Kang (Sea Dechchart). Why Kang helps Moo is made logically clear early on as he helps a woman get to the market and home safely.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/20/my-boo-the-series-first-impressions-ep-1-amp-2/

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GMMTV's GL Experience is Awesomeness

Ongsa’s (Milk Pansa) high school life will never be the same when she carelessly wishes her cute and cheerful classmate Sun (Love Pattranite) “sweet dreams” using the Instagram name Earth. Unfortunately, the masculine name leads Sun to believe she’s talking to a guy, but Ongsa doesn’t want to lose the opportunity to talk to her. She chooses to keep it a secret and go on talking to Sun as Earth. "23.5″ is a really engaging coming of age drama which reminds us of our first crush, first love and all those beautiful feelings that are reminiscent of those memories. After watching the first three episodes of the show, I became hooked immediately and honestly can’t wait for more. The appealing story line coupled with the irresistible and engaging cast members make it impossible to skip the episodes. It’s not a fresh story line but the way that story has been executed is so cute and endearing that I was giggling all along while watching.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/29/23-5-first-impressions-ep-1-to-3/

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An Urban Romance Between a Star & An App Developer

Exploring the Twinkling Universe of “City of Stars”: A Fresh Perspective!

So here I am again, ready to dive into another captivating journey within the realm of Thai BL series. “City of Stars” beckons with its promise of intertwining technology and human connection, drawing me in with its intriguing premise even before the opening credits roll. As a seasoned enthusiast of the genre, I’ve learned to appreciate the nuances of storytelling, and this series seems poised to offer something truly unique.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/02/23/city-of-stars-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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A High End Adaptation You Definitely Need to Watch

Love isn’t always beautiful or happy. In truth, love isn’t really about beauty at all but the depths to which we can fall, good or bad. The beautiful is in the good. The pain is in the bad.

The new Thai BL series My Stand-In cleverly captures these nuanced emotions, highlighting both the good and painful. It follows Joe, a stuntman doubling for the famous actor Tong, who develops feelings for Ming, a complex figure who sees him only as a stand-in for Tong. Tragedy strikes when Joe dies in an accident, but fate intervenes, and he awakens in another man’s body, also named Joe. When he reencounters Ming, the truth behind their love story begins to unfold.

And that’s where Ming and Joe’s painful reality truly sets in. Their story starkly highlights the brutal yet touching nature of love and how it has the power to both lift someone up and shatter them.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/09/my-stand-in-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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Absolutely loving the Encore

Every decision has its binary choices.

New Thai BL “Wandee Goodday” deals firsthand with the art of decisions. Our personal decisions and their impacts on our relationships, and the lives of those around. The show centers on orthopedic physician Wandee (Inn Sarin Ronnakiat), who, after suffering a recent heartbreak, begins a friends-with-benefits situation with boxer Yoyak (Great Sapol Assawamunkong). Both men’s lives are filled with what most people desire: steady professions, attractive appearances, and support systems. However, one thing is missing in each of their lives: love. Both men are in unrequited situations with their respective crushes. As a result, they seek solace in each other.

This is where the complicated line between friends with benefits and lovers begins to blur.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/18/wandee-goodday-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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